Competitiveness and sustainability of extreme viticulture in Pantelleria Island

The environmental and land protection could be obtained promoting an agricultural activity that encourages the business competitiveness respecting the traditions. In Pantelleria, ‘black island’ in the middle of Mediterranean, the viticultural surface has significantly decreased in the last years, causing a massive rural exodus. The University of Palermo, to block this phenomenon and to contain the progressive abandonment of vineyards, carried out several experimental proofs in order to increase the mechanization of cultural practices in the vineyards cultivated according to ‘alberello a conca’ farming system. In this context, the aim of this paper is to analyze as the process innovations contribute to farm competitiveness and to the safeguard of a viticultural heritage unique in the world.